In the field of total joint replacements it is often necessary to mount plates or bearing elements mounted on plates on resected or prepared joint surfaces for receiving or contacting other elements of the joint replacement. Although these plate-like implants may include tissue ingrowth surfaces, some form of initial attachment to bone is required. This initial attachment is often achieved by utilizing threaded elements such as bone screws to attach the plates to bone. For example tibial or glenoid implants may have plate like structures attached using screws.
It is sometimes necessary to hold an implant with one instrument and then insert the bone screw through the plate with a second instrument. In addition, when using bone screws it is sometimes desired to drill a pilot hole in the bone prior to inserting the screws so that insertion forces within the bone by the bone screw are lessened. Obviously once the plate has been implanted it is necessary to remove any instrumentation from the plate.
There has been a need for instrumentation which firmly grips an implant plate so that it may be located and held in position on the bone and can be used to simultaneously guide the insertion of a bone screw through a bore in the plate and into bone. This is particularly advantageous in shoulder operations where access to the glenoid area of the shoulder is somewhat limited.